Our Six Rating Criteria
A betting app is something you use on your phone during a live game, often with money moving in both directions. Our criteria follow that experience, from the moment you download the app to the moment a withdrawal reaches your bank.
1. Store Ratings and Review Volume
We start with the App Store and Google Play scores, because thousands of real users rate an app on stability, speed and payouts every day. We always read a rating together with the number of reviews behind it: a 4.7 backed by 160,000 votes tells you far more than a 3.8 from 86 votes.
For each rating, we record the app name, app ID, provincial version, storefront, operating system, rating count and date checked. Canadian iOS and Android listings are reported separately. If a US listing is included as background, it is labelled US and is not used to rank a Canadian provincial app. Missing Canadian data is left unscored.
2. Live Betting Experience
Live betting is where an app either keeps up or falls behind. We look at:
- The number of live markets offered per game on major leagues such as the NHL, NFL and NBA;
- Early cash out on singles and parlays;
- Live streaming inside the app;
- A same game parlay builder that combines player props and team markets;
- How clearly live odds, the bet slip and open bets are laid out on a phone screen.
3. Payout Speed and Interac
We compare the withdrawal times each operator publishes for every payment method, with Interac checked first because it is the method most Canadian bettors use. Times on our list range from a few hours to several business days, and we state them by method rather than as one headline figure. Minimum deposits, card and e-wallet options and any crypto payouts are noted as well.
4. Welcome Offer Terms
We judge a welcome offer by what it takes to turn it into withdrawable money, not by its headline size. For every offer we record:
- The match percentage and the maximum bonus;
- The wagering requirement and minimum odds;
- The time allowed to meet those conditions;
- Where the offer applies, since operators in Ontario and Alberta show offer details inside the app after sign-up.
A 125% match with a 6x rollover at odds of 1.50, for example, scores better than a larger offer with heavier conditions.
5. Licence and Provincial Availability
Which apps you can use depends on your province, so we list the provinces for every app. We confirm licences against public sources:
- The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and iGaming Ontario registry for Ontario;
- Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis and the Alberta iGaming Corporation list of active sites for Alberta;
- Provincial lottery corporations such as BCLC for PlayNow;
- The Kahnawake Gaming Commission, the Malta Gaming Authority and other licensing bodies named in an app’s footer for the rest of Canada.
6. Responsible Gambling Tools
Every app we rate must give you control over your play. We check that deposit limits, time-outs and self-exclusion are easy to find in account settings, and we note extra support such as BCLC’s GameSense advisors on PlayNow or Responsible Gambling Council accreditation.
Where Our Data Comes From
| Data point | Source |
|---|---|
| Ratings and review counts | Canadian App Store and Google Play listings; US listings where marked |
| Licences and provinces | AGCO and iGaming Ontario registry, Alberta iGaming Corporation list, provincial lottery corporations, licensing bodies named in app footers |
| Welcome offers | Operators’ promotion terms |
| Payout times and methods | Operators’ banking and payment pages |
| Features and markets | Operators’ apps and help pages |
How We Order the Rankings
No single number decides a position. An app that performs well across all six criteria ranks above an app that leads on one figure but falls short elsewhere. When two apps are close, we place higher the one that more Canadians can use, which means wider provincial availability. Each review also names what the app does best, such as player props, live depth or payout speed, so you can pick by the feature that matters to you.
How We Keep Ratings Current
Store ratings, offers and provincial availability change often, especially as new provinces open regulated markets. We recheck ratings, offers and licences at least once a month and update a page as soon as we learn of a material change, such as a new licence or a withdrawn offer. The “Last updated” date on each page shows when it was last revised.
Editorial Independence
Our editors decide every rating and every position. Operators cannot buy a place in our rankings, review our content before publication or change a rating. When an operator tells us about a change, we verify it against public sources before we update anything.
What Our Ratings Are Not
Our ratings are editorial assessments meant to help you compare apps. They are not legal, financial or betting advice, and they do not guarantee any result. The terms an operator shows at the moment you register or claim an offer always take priority over our summaries.
Responsible Gambling
Betting should stay entertainment. Set a budget before you start, use the limits every licensed app provides and take a break when it stops being fun. Free and confidential help is available from ConnexOntario at 1-866-531-2600 or from the gambling support service in your province.
